Dump-car.



R. G. CRAWFORD.

DUMP CAR.

APPLIOATION FILED 1107.7, 1912.

1,091,466. Patented Mar. 24; 1914 great advantage over the present method of nnrrn s RUFUS C. CRAWFORD, 0F MOKEESPORT, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH TO HARRY B. CRAWFORD, OF MCKEESPORT, PENNSYLVANIA.

DUMP-CAR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 24, 1914.

Application filed November 7, 1912. Serial No. 729,974.

To aZZ whom it may concern Be it known that I, RUFUS C. Cnxwrom), a resident of McKeesport, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Dump-Cars; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to dump cars and more particularly to dump cars which are automatically dumped by mechanical means without any assistance on the part of the operator.

The object of my invention is to provide a cheap, simple and eliicient form of dump car which can be made without any complicated mechanism and which can be dumped at any point desired so as to eliminate the expense of having a man for this particular work.

Another object is to provide a car of such a type that it may be dumped while in motion and without decreasing the speed of the same which will save much time and trouble Still another object of my invention is to provide such a dumping means as will allow the cars to remain coupled together in the train and each car dumped as it passes the hopper or dumping place, which will be a uncoupling each car and in many cases sending each individual car down an incline or along a track to the dumping point.

My invention consists, generally stated, in the novel arrangement, construction and combination of parts as hereinafter more specifically set forth and described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

To enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to construct and use my improved dump car I will de scribe the same more fully, referring to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a track having three of my improved cars therein. Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view of one of my improved cars showing the same loaded with material. Fig. 3 is a like view of one of the cars immediately after the same has been dumped. Fig. at is a partial end view of one of the cars showing the means of closing the bottom of the same. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the dumping lever employed for releasing the bottom of the car. Fig. 6 is I a like View of the locking lever for locking 1 the bottom after the same has been closed. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the bolting mechanism for holding the bottom in position, Fig. 8 is a plan view of a portion of the track showing the closing bar.

Like symbols of reference herein indicate like parts in each of the figures of the drawing.

As illustrated in the drawing my improved dump car 1 is made of the same shape as the ordinary type of mine or dump car used at the present day and is provided with wheels 2 which travel on the tracks 3. The car 1 has the sides 41 and ends 5 and a bottom or door 6, which is hinged at suitable points on one of the sides 1 with the hinges 7 Fig. 1 shows a side view of a train of three cars 1, traveling in the direction indicated by the arrow. The first or left hand car 1 has been dumped and the bottom closed, and such bottom is just being locked: the second car 1 is just being dumped and the bottom 6 is seen hanging down; the third car is just approaching the hopper S, where it will be dumped.

The bottom 6 of the car 1 is provided with a series of lips or small arms 9 which extend outward from the free side of the same and are adapted to be engaged by the latches 10 on the bolting bar 11. This bolting bar 11 is slidably mounted on the side 4: of the car 1 in suitable slides 12 attached thereto and such bar has a pin 13 at any convenient position on the side of the same for fitting into a slot 14 in the bottom of the bell crank 15. This bell crank 15 has a pivoted connection 15 on the side 4 of the car 1 as shown in Fig. 1 and the portion 15 extends toward the front of the car as later described. On the forward end of the portion 15 of the bell crank 15 is a rod 16 which extends outward at right angles to said portion and such rod is adapted at certain times to engage with the dumping lever 17 which is mounted on a bracket 18, said bracket being attached to the side of the track 3. This dumping lever 17 is located directly over the hopper 8 while a closing bar 19 is attached to the side of the structural work above the hopper and at a point directly below the side 4 of the car 1 and gradually twists around to the center between the tracks 8 at the same time such bar rises until the for- Ward end of the same is in line with the bottom of the car 1.

At a point beyond the closing bar 19 is a locking leverQO which is mounted on a bracket 21 and secured to the side of the track 3 in any suitable manner and such lever is curved upwardly toward its rear end as later explained.

The use and operation of my improved dump car is as follows: The cars l approach the dumping point or hopper 3 coupled together in the same manner as when in ordinary transit and when the first car reaches the hopper the rod 16 on the portion 15 of the bell crank 15 engages with the upper surface of the downwardly curved dumping lever 17 and the bell crank is thus raised so that the fulcrum effect obtained by the pivotal connection 15 on the side of the car 1 will draw the bolting bar 11 forward by its connection therewith through the slot 14 on said bell crank and the pin 13 on said bar. As the bolting bar 11 is thus drawn forward the latches l0 thereon are disengaged from the small arms 9 on the car bottom or door 6 so that the same is free to drop and the material contained therein will be precipitated into the hopper 8. This operation occurs without stopping the car or even slackening the speed of the same. The door or bottom 6 will now hang downward by the hinges 17, as shown in Fig. 3, and by the center car in Fig. 1 and as the car continues its course the door will engage with the closing bar 19 and such bar will swing the said door upward as shown in Fig. 4 until the same is closed whereupon the rod 16 on the portion 15" of the bell crank 15 will engage with the under face of locking lever 20 and'will be depressed so as to throw the bolting bar backward and thus cause the latches 10 to engage with and hold the small extending arms 9 on the car door or bottom 6. The cars are thus continuously dumped and the doors or bottoms closed without stopping or uncoupling the same so that a train of any number of cars can be passed over the hopper and the material deposited therein without loss of time or the necessity of having the several men required to uncouple, push into dumping place and dumpthe same, etc. The twisting of the closing bar 19 will enable the door or bottom 6 to be swung from its vertical to horizontal posit-ion while traveling along a flat surface.

It will be obvious that my improved arrangement for dumping cars may be used either where the contents are dumped into a hopper for loading directly on railroad cars or where in the case of coal the same is taken to a tipple and there dumped Where it is screened to separate the various sizes.

It will be readily seen that with the use of my improved car there will be a great saving of time in addition to the saving of money and the work will be carried on smoothly without any care or inconvenience.

Various modifications and changes in the use, design, construction and operation of my improved dump car may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the in vention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

lVhat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters-Patent is 1. In devices for dumping cars, the combination with a dump car adapted to travel on a track and having a hinged bottom thereon provided with means for locking the same, of means along the track for unlocking said bottom to allow the same to extend downward, and a curved and twisted bar within said tract so arranged that said bottom will bear against a flat surface of the same to raise and close such bottom in the transit of the car.

2. In devices for chunping cars, the combination with a dump car adapted to travel on a track and having a hinged bottom thereon provided with means for locking the same, of a lever along the track for unlocking said bottom to allow the same to eX- tend downward, and a curved and twisted bar within. said track so arranged that said bottom will bear against a flat surface of the same to raise and close such bottom in the transit of the car.

3. In devices for dumping cars, the combinationwith a dump car adapted to travel on a track and having a hinged bottom thereon provided with means for locking the same, of means along the track for unlocking said bottom to allow the same to eX- tend downward, a curved bar within said track for closing said bottom, and means beyond said last named means for locking said bottom in its closed position.

4. In devices for dumping cars, the combination with a dump car adapted to travel on a track and having a hinged bottom thereon provided with means for locking the same, of a lever along the track for unlocking said bottom to'allow the same to extend downward, a curved bar within said track for closing said bottom, and means beyond said last named means for locking said bottom in its closed position.

5. In devices for dumping cars, the com bination with a dump car adapted to travel on a track and having a hinged bottom thereon provided with means for locking the same, of means along the track for unlocking said bottom to allow the same to extend downward, a curved and twisted bar within said track so arranged that said bottom will bear against a flat surface of the same to raise and close such bottom in the transit of the car, and means beyond said last named means for locking s'aid'bottomin its closed position.

6. In devices for dumping cars, the combination with a dump car adapted to travel on a track and having a hinged bottom thereon provided with means for locking the same, of a lever along the track for unlocking said bottom to allow the same to extend downward, a curved and twisted bar within said track so arranged that said bottom will bear against a flat surface of the same to raise and close such bottom in the transit of the car, and means beyond said last named means for locking said bottom in its closed position.

I. In devices for dumping cars, the combination with a dump car adapted to travel on a track and having a hinged bottom thereon provided with means for locking the same, of means along the track for unlocking said bottom to allow the same to extend downward, and means within said track for closing said bottom, and a lever along said track and beyond said last named means for locking said bottom in its closed position.

8. In devices for dumping cars, the combination with a dump car adapted to travel on a track and having a hinged bottom thereon provided with means for locking the same, of a lever along the track'for unlock ing said bottom to allow the same to extend downward means within said track for closing said bottom, and a lever along said track and beyond said last named means for locking said bottom in its closed position.

9. In devices for dumping cars, the combination with a dump car adapted to travel on a track and having a hinged bottom,

thereon provided with means for locking the 1 same, of means along the track for unlocking said bottom to allow the same to extend downward, a curved bar within said track for closing said bottom, and a lever beyond said last named means for locking said bottom in its closed position.

10. In devices for dumping cars, the combination with a dump ear adapted to travel on a track and having a hinged bottom thereon provided with means for locking the same, of a lever along the track for unlock: ing said bottom to allow the same to extend downward, a curved bar within said track for closing said bottom, and a lever beyond said last named means for locking said bottom in its closed position.

11. In devices for dumping ears, the combination with a dump car adapted to travel on a track and having a hinged bottom thereon provided with means for locking the same, of means along the track for unlock ing said bottom to allow the same to extend downward, a curved and twisted bar within said track so arranged that said bottom will bear against a flat surface of the sameto raise and close such bottom in the transit of the car, and a lever beyond said last named means for locking said bottom in its closed position.

12. In devices for dumping cars, the combination with a dump car adapted to travel on a track and having a hinged bottom thereon provided with means for locking the same, of a lever along the track for unlocking said bottom to allow the same to extend downward, a curved and twisted bar within said track so arranged that said bottom will bear against a flat surface of the same and close such bottom in the transit of the car, and a lever beyond said last named means for looking said bottom in its closed position.

In testimony whereof, I the said Burns G. CR.\\VFORD have hereunto set my hand.

RUFUS C. CRAIVFORD.

Witnesses:

T. B. HUMrHmEs, B. J. BROOKE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). C. 

